U.S. Relations With China

* Re “The Scions Still Rise in China,” Feb. 13: The princelings’ monopolization of power and opportunities is another indication of the failure of President Clinton’s policy to delink trade and human rights in China.

Most Americans think of human rights violations as just a few dissidents being jailed. But if a government does not respect human rights, it will not respect the equality of opportunities, fairness of trials, ownership of properties, commitment to business deals and many other things the American people take for granted.

SAVIO CHAU

Federation for a Democratic

China, Los Angeles Chapter

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* A spoiled son taking advantage of his father’s position is not unique to China. However, the level of hereditary-political-privilege abuse has grown to a catastrophic proportion in that Communist regime, and is causing unaccountable suffering for the vast Chinese population in terms of human rights and human life. The fact that Taiwan is under the military threat of the Chinese Communists is the direct result of these princelings’ desire to expand their influence inside the Communist Party, government and military. When large numbers of refugees flood the globe, everybody will be affected.

Today, Western businessmen insist on doing business in China using their connection with these “spoiled sons,” and in the meantime allow the regime to do whatever it wants to the Chinese people and to the world in the name of free trade. They are planting the seed of this catastrophe.

TAK-YIU WONG

Cerritos

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* “Defense Chief Takes Hard Line Toward Beijing” (Feb. 14) states that Defense Secretary William Perry’s speech contained a vaguely worded reference, “Engagement also does not preclude us from pursuing our interest with all appropriate instruments of national power.”

This statement, I believe, was explicitly understood by the Chinese. Perry is responding to a threat directed at the United States by Beijing and reported in The Times (Commentary, Feb. 1). China threatened to drop an atomic bomb on Los Angeles if the United States interferes with Chinese policy regarding Taiwan. Clearly, Perry is attempting to remind China that the nuclear nightmare can be visited upon their children as well as ours. Both governments must stop this brinkmanship.

WAYNE OSTRANDER

Burbank

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* The article states, “The Clinton administration . . . has left open the possibility that it might intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if the island were attacked by China.” Are Perry and Clinton out of their minds? Taiwan is no particular friend of ours, except for what it can get out of us as a market. China’s argument that Taiwan is part of China is much stronger than any humanitarian reason we can muster. It is OK to talk about economic sanctions, but that is about as far as it should go.

FRANK V. WILBY

Brentwood